Benjamin Muth

September 12, 2010

BP Releases Official Report

British Petroleum, the oil conglomerate whose Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on April 20, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico sending millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf, recently released their official report detailing the disaster. The full report is 192 pages, and largely attempts to shift blame of the disaster from BP to its contracting partners, namely Transocean (Deepwater Horizon's owner) and Haliburton (cement contractor for the rig).

Sources:

     Ina Urbina, BP Spill Report Hints at Legal Defense, N.Y. Times, Sept. 8, 2010, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/us/09spill.html?_r=2.

     BP, Deepwater Horizon Accident Investigation Report, Sept. 7, 2010, available at http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9034902&contentId=7064891.

Chinese Energy Subsidies Raise Concerns

Chinese renewable energy companies are receiving heavy subsidies from the Chinese government in what some trade analysts are saying may break international rules. The Chinese city of Changsha is quickly becoming a solar panel market giant. Receiving tracts of land from the municipal government, low interest rate loans from state banks, and interest payment reimbursement from regional governments, has allowed Hunan Sunzone Optoelectronics to double its operations. Sunzone plans on opening offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles in February.

Source:

     Keith Bradsher, Union Accuses China of Illegal Clean Energy Subsidies, N.Y. Times, Sept. 9, 2010, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/business/energy-environment/10steel.html?_r=1&hp.

A Close Look At Chicago's Green Revolution

A report by Kari Richardson, published at green-friendly Online news service Grist.org, puts a magnifying glass on Chicago's green revolution. Richardson reports that Chicago has 124 LEED certified buildings, and four million square feet of green rooftops. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who recently announced plans to not seek reelection, embraced sustainable building and has tinted Chicago's famous skyline green, Richardson reports.

Source:

     Kari Richardson, Chicago Takes the LEED in Eco Building, Grist, Sept. 8, 2010, available at http://www.grist.org/article/2010-08-30-chicago-takes-the-leed-in-eco-building/.

Berkeley Law School Releases Report on Proposition 23

Today the University of California, Berkley, School of Law released a report outlining the effects of California's Proposition 23. Proposition 23 would eliminate the clean energy mandates created by AB 32, in an effort to create more jobs in California. The Berkley report concludes that Prop 23 would stifle new clean energy industries, diminish climate change momentum, and create uncertainty for industries affected by AB 32.

Sources:

     Newswise, Prop. 23 Creates Legal Turmoil, Cuts State Revenue, Reduces Job Growth, Newswise, Sept. 9, 2010, available at http://www.newswise.com/articles/prop-23-creates-legal-turmoil-reduces-state-revenue-cuts-jobs.

     Ethan Elkind et al., California at the Crossroads; Proposition 23, AB 32, and Climate Change, (University of California, Berkley School of Law, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment 2010) (2010), available at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/CLEE-California_at_the_Crossroads.pdf .

New York to Enforce Household Chemical Disclosure Law

New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander B. Grannis is set to enforce a 39-year-old law demanding disclosure of chemicals in household cleansers. Passed in 1971, the law required manufactures to disclose ingredient lists and research on the products' health and environmental effects. "Due to increased public interest in such information, I have decided to begin the process of implementing the department's authority", said Grannis.

Source:

     Jennifer Peltz, NY to Seek Info on Cleanser Contents, Associated Press, Sept. 9, 2010, available at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j-J0NbTUpBOc3BZZX0EYvAQODhKgD9I4FFVG1.